EXECUTIVE SUMMARY (ABSTRACT)
This research was designed to explore and demonstrate the achievement of financial sustainability of a public institution through the standardization of practices and utilization of project management frameworks via the introduction of a Project Management Office (PMO) in the organizational architecture of the Forest Department in Belize.
In order to achieve this, the identification of the research subject immediately followed by a definition of the research scope was required. The assessment was conducted through a series of tools such as questionnaires. The primary participants included staff and management of the Belize Forest Department.
The Forest Department (FD) is one of the oldest government institutions in the country, since its establishment in 1927.
The FD is a subset of Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry, the Environment, Sustainable Development, and Immigration.
As a regulatory agency, the FD is responsible for the oversight and management of Belize’s forest resources, which include the use and protection of forests including granting of forest licenses and permits, collection of royalties for forest resources, monitoring, and the design and implementation of management plans. In order to execute this mandate, the FD maintains six district offices organized under a programmatic approach. The FD’s mandate though, has evolved significantly over the years.
In addition to its stated responsibilities, the FD also serves as the national focal point to several Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs). In an effort to meet its obligations under the MEAs and improve its ability to carry out its mandate, the FD also assumed the responsibility of managing projects. Over the years, the FD has managed several multimillion-dollar projects with varying degrees of success.
The problem the FD faced is the fact that the funds it receives from central administration is insufficient to meet the demands of the department; thus, projects are needed to fulfil its mandate. In order to attract projects, the FD must demonstrate its ability to manage and meet their objectives.
However, there are no standard operational procedures or practices established by the department and there are no best practices to guide managers during project implementation. Without established guidelines, there are lost opportunities for the realization of additional benefits to the Department.
The general objective of this research project was to propose the establishment of a project management office in the Belize Forest Department; to consequently improve programme management and increase financial sustainability for effective results in the implementation of its organizational mandate.
The specific objectives were to conduct an institutional assessment to determine organizational maturity level; to conduct an analysis to determine the most appropriate type of PMO for the department; to propose the roles and responsibilities of the PMO in order to determine its effectiveness and its contribution to achieving the department’s mandate; to design an implementation plan for the establishment of a PMO for the Department, and to determine a set of KPIs to measure PMO performance.
The methodologies employed in this research were based on literature reviews of similar researches using the analytical, deductive, and observational methods.
The analytical and deductive methods allowed for an in-depth analysis of the department’s structure, while the observational method was used to evaluate and record the deliverables and their acceptance by stakeholders.
The tools used in this research were based on an Organizational Project Management Maturity Model (OPM 3) questionnaire sample. The results of the analytical method propelled the analysis of the different types of PMOs in order to determine the most suitable for the FD’s development.
Based on the maturity assessment results, it was determined that the FD’s maturity is Standardize. Although its maturity is at the entry point of the scale, the potential for further maturity is high. The FD demonstrated strengths and weaknesses in certain project management areas which included stakeholder management and scope management respectively.
Following an analysis of the three basic types of PMOs, it was concluded that a Hybrid of supporting and controlling PMO was most suitable for the FD at this time. It was further concluded that establishing project methodologies, project tracking and project support constitute the main roles and responsibilities identified for the proposed PMO. In consideration of the FD’s organizational culture, an implementation plan for the PMO was designed to be executed over a twelve (12) week period. Finally, a suite of key performance indicators was outlined to track PMO performance and as well to demonstrate financial sustainability.
Thus, in keeping with the main objective of this research, a PMO was deemed necessary and should be developed to improve programme management and increase financial sustainability of the FD for effective results in the implementation of its organizational mandate.
Pursuant to the results of this research, it was recommended that:
A maturity assessment should be conducted on an annual basis to determine maturity as well as to identify the department’s strengths and needs over time. A monitoring and evaluation plan should be developed for the PMO. This plan would require that internal audits be conducted on a semi-annual basis during the first two years of the PMO’s existence.
Furthermore, this assessment will afford the Project leadership and FD’s administration an opportunity to analyse the PMO’s relevance as well as to advise the administration and other relevant stakeholders on the appropriateness of the PMO.
Implementation of a PMO at the FD is a novelty; thus, it is recommended that a team with the appropriate expertise lead the process. A task force should be established to examine the roles and responsibilities of the PMO. This would facilitate a smooth transition to the successful implementation of the PMO.
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